Nora and Neon: Friendship and Fighting
by LavenderRare
Summary: Nora Valkyrie is a first year student at Beacon Academy. Neon Katt is a second year faunus from Atlas. The two meet at the Vytal Festival and hit it off easily. Before, during, and after a Grimm attack, they get to know each other better, trust each other with secrets, and prepare for the eventual worst.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

It was the Vytal Festival, Nora Valkyrie's first year competing. Her team, Team JNPR, had made it through to the Doubles Round, where she and her teammate, Pyrrha Nikos, would be competing.

Nora had just finished watching another team of friends, Team RWBY, compete in the Doubles. Team members Yang Xiao Long and Weiss Schnee had won against two members of Team FNKI of Atlas Academy. The fight was thrilling! FNKI's leader played a trumpet as a weapon, and the cat fanus fighting Yang skated so well, a rainbow trail followed her. Although she and RWBY were really close, Nora wanted to meet the FNKI team, remark on how well they fought.

It wasn't long until Nora got her chance...

* * *

"Ya fought well today, Katt!" Flynt Coal told his teammate, Neon Katt, as he tuned up his horn.

Neon nodded, "for first years at Beacon, they really were something! That explosive girl seems really fun too!" Neon tied the laces of her skates as she fawned over her opponents.

It was her second time competing in the Vytal Festival. Flynt had managed to make it through to the Singles Round, and nearly won. It surprised the both of them that they lost, especially to newcomers. But what mattered was that Neon enjoyed herself. And she did! She definitely wants to hang out with Team RWBY again, if they weren't busy.

"I'll meet you at the noodle place," Flynt said, "I wanna see a few more fights."

* * *

"Phew! That was a close one!" Nora dropped down in her chair at the noodle booth, exhausted. "It's a good thing we thought to bring the lightning dust."

Pyrrrha, who sat beside her, nodded. "I'm glad we were able to pull through. Team VILT made it a close call."

Nora sat up immediately. "Close? That Izabelle girl nearly shaved my head clean with that blade!"

Pyrrha giggled. Almost immediately, her scroll made a noise. She took it out and examined it.

"What is it?" Nora asked, leaning close to look.

"Professor Ozpin wishes to see me," Pyrrha replied.

Nora gasped, "are we in trouble again? If we are, Jaune's taking the blame this time."

"I don't think so," Pyrrha said as she stood up, "he only wishes to see me. Perhaps it's to talk about my progress in the tournament."

"Okay. Just make sure to bring back more syrup when you're done. Ren might make us pancakes to celebrate!"

Pyrrha nodded before walking towards their school building. Nora slumped over on the booth again, waiting for her refill.

* * *

Neon skated towards the noodle booth, pleased to see it wasn't busy. She only saw one girl there, obviously tired. Neon slid to the seat next to her.

"Hey, sleepy head!" she remarked to the redhead next to her, "food ain't gonna wait for you to wake up!"

The girl raised her head, a smile growing on her face. "You're the faunus competing against RWBY!"

Neon nodded, folding her arms proudly. "We may not have won, but we kicked butt and had fun!"

"Team RWBY are actually my friends. I know, crazy?"

"Ahh, another Beacon student?"

The girl nodded, "this is my first year here! Get this: my teammate is Pyrrha Nikos! I just fought with her!"

Neon gasped, "THE Pyrrha Nikos? The one on every Pumpkin Pete's box?"

"Yes! She is super nice, and amazing at training!"

"I'm guessing she's your leader. Your headmaster wouldn't be stupid enough to make someone else the leader, right?"

"Well...actually..."

The preppy students were right. The other schools really do run differently.

"Oh, ok then," Neon said, trying to change the topic. She stuck out her hand and said, "Neon Katt."

"Nora Valkyrie," the girl responded, taking her hand and shaking it.

"Wanna trade scroll numbers?" Neon asked. This girl seemed like the perfect candidate for a new friend.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Hmm, I wonder where Pyrrha is," Nora said, sitting on her bed in her dorm.

Lie Ren nodded, "she needs to start training."

The team leader, Jaune Arc, stood by a window. He turned his head to look at everyone before saying, "didn't you say Professor Ozpin wanted to see her?"

Nora nodded, "I thought he just wanted to talk about our match. I guess it's taking longer than expected."

Ren sat next to Nora. "Perhaps she's getting press coverage. She is famous, after all."

"Hey, if she's seeing cameras, I think all of us deserve to be on TV too!" Nora pouted. "We're a team, after all!"

Jaune replied, "I just hope nothing bad happens. I've been feeling uneasy lately."

"How so?" Ren asked.

Jaune walked to the rest of his teammates. He sat on Ren's other side, and explained, "I'm not sure. I mean, we had that Grimm attack a while ago, and the festival is still being held. Plus, when was the last time any of us saw Ozpin in person?"

"I heard he broke up a fight in the courtyard," Ren said.

Nora stood up. "There was a fight outside of the arena and nobody told me?"

"Oh yeah," Jaune said. "I think Ruby told me it was her uncle and Weiss's sister fighting."

"I heard about this uncle, but never see him," Nora said, "what do you think he's like?"

"He's a teacher at Signal," Ren said, "so he may be a professional huntsman."

Jaune shifted his position, asking, "have any of you been to Signal?"

Nora shook her head. "Ren and I were travelling to Vale when we were that young."

Jaune looked down. Nora, Pyrrha and Ren knew his secret: he lied his way to get into the school. He came from a family of huntsmen, but he felt like he was a disappointment. His only training before Beacon was taught to him by his family.

"Maybe we can meet him!" Nora exclaimed. "I mean, Team RWBY tells us everything! Like how Blake is a faunus!"

Ren gave Nora a look before asking, "and we are the only ones that know, right?"

Nora nodded, "I may talk a lot, but I can keep a secret."

* * *

Neon had finished her fifth lap around Beacon's campus before her scroll began to ring. She picked it up and said, "Neon here! Where's the party?"

"Katt, it's Flynt."

"Heya! What's up? Oh wait, you are! In the arena!"

"Very funny, Katt."

Neon sat down on a bench. "How's the fight?"

"It's cool, man. But I'm hearing strange stuff from a previous match."

"What do ya mean, strange?"

"Remember that Team CFVY vs Team CMEN fight?"

"Yeah," Neon said, "what about it?"

"I was chatting with the faunus on Team CFVY, and she claims her leader saw her teammate in the forest."

"That's weird, he never was in there."

"I know, Katt. I think it's strange."

"How close are we to the finals?" Neon asked.

"Very close. I think there's one more fight before the singles."

Neon stood up. "Sweet! I wanna see my new friend's teammate fight."

* * *

Nora made her way to the seats of the arena. Jaune and Ren had already taken their seats, making her the designated popcorn fetcher. She had plenty of time before they announce the first match.

As she arrived at the snack booth, she noticed a familiar tail.

"Neon? Is that you?" she asked.

Neon turned around, grinning. "Hey, girlfriend!"

"You here to see the first match too?" Nora asked.

Neon nodded, "I'm rooting for Pyrrha, the blondie I fought, and Penny."

"I think I know Penny," Nora thought, "she's from your school. My friend, Ruby, hangs with her a lot."

"Yup! Penny is such a sweet girl, but very quiet. We rarely see her in classes."

"Odd...ooh, maybe she has a secret class that trains her to be an assassin!"

Neon laughed, "Atlas isn't THAT evil!"

Nora giggled with her. "Hey, wanna sit with me and my teammates?"

Neon shrugged, "ok! Flynt and I love meeting new people."

* * *

Neon sat down between Nora and Flynt. JNPR's leader, Jaune, was in conversation with Neon's leader, while Nora tried to get her friend, Ren, to talk. Neon switched between conversations, learning new things about the Beacon students.

Suddenly, the announcers cleared their throats. It was time to randomly decide the first fight.

The screen shuffled between the eight finalists' pictures. The first picture on the screen was one of the Haven students that fought CFVY. The second picture was the blonde girl Neon teased.

"Mercury Black and Yang Xiao Long!"

"GO, YANG!" Nora stood up and cheered. Neon stood as well, clapping her hands rapidly.

Yang and Mercury got in position before the announcers yelled, "BEGIN!"

The fight began! Yang and Mercury began hand-to-leg combat. Mercury seemed very active on his feet, literally. It wasn't long until they began firing bullets and fireballs, Yang punching with her gauntlets, and Mercury firing off with his boots. The Haven student shot bullets into the air, and they swirled around the fighters. All at once, they fell and landed where Yang stood. Mercury stood up and brushed himself off.

Neon and Nora looked at each other. Did Yang just lose?  
They got their answer from a flame bursting as soon as the dust cleared. Yang was covered in flame, as if she were glowing.

"Here she goes!" Neon practically bounced in her seat. She loved seeing Yang's semblance in action!

Yang fired ball after ball of flames at Mercury until she got close enough to punch him in the gut, lowering his aura.

JNPR and FNKI jumped out of their seats, cheering. What a way to kick off the singles tournament! Everyone cheered around them.

But the moment didn't last.

Neon watched as Yang punched Mercury in the leg, sending him flying back.

Her jaw dropped. She knew Yang had an issue, but to attack someone right after a fight?

She turned to Nora, who looked just as shocked.

The crowd began to boo as Atlesian guards surrounded Yang.

Neon turned to Flynt, unsure of what to make of the situation.


End file.
